Recently, Grassley became aware that in the event of a hostile takeover of a commercial airliner, there is no direct way for an F-15 pilot to communicate directly with a commercial airline crew. F-15 fighter jets and commercial airliners communicate on different radio frequencies. They can communicate through ground controllers only. This can be cumbersome, time consuming and subject to error.
"We need to find a way to ensure that these two planes can talk to one another. A few short seconds and a miscommunication could lead to a tragic situation," Grassley said. "Funding to make certain that no commercial airliners are diverted or tragically, terminated should be of utmost importance for homeland security."
The United States Air Force estimates that $39 million is required to equip 583 F-15s with the proper radios. The funding request is currently under consideration within the department of Defense as part of a FY 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Bill.
The letter to Sens. Inouye and Stevens follows here.
March 20, 2002
The Honorable Dan Inouye
Chairman
Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Ted Stevens
Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senators Inouye and Stevens:
I would like to bring a situation to your attention in regard to Homeland Security. After the terrorist attacks in September, the Air Force and the Air National Guard (ANF) were tasked to fly Combat Air Patrol (CAP) homeland defense missions over the United States. F-15 fighter units are assigned to a mission of intercepting commercial airliners that are identified or suspected of being under terrorist control.
The CAP mission includes making visual contact with the suspicious aircraft and trying to determine its intent. If hostile intent is determined, the interceptor acting through its chain of command, may be ordered to direct the airliner to an available airfield or, in the extreme case, to terminate the airliner's flight. CAP missions for New York City and Washington, D.C. are currently being flown continually.
Airlines communicate on the Very High Frequency (VHF) band and the F-15's on the Ultra High Frequency (UAF) band. A difficulty arises because the ANG F-15 fighters that would be called upon to intercept the suspicious airliners are not equipped with VHF FM radios needed to communicate with these civil aircraft over domestic airspace.
Communications are accomplished in an indirect way, by relay through ground controllers. This can be cumbersome, time consuming, and subject to error. A few short seconds and a miscommunication could lead to a tragic situation.
The USAF estimates that $39 million is required to equip 583 F-15s with VHF radios. The funding request is under consideration within the department as part of a FY 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Bill. When the Supplemental arrives in the Senate, I ask that you support this important request.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
United States Senator